Dry-pipe sprinkler system



Nov. 17, 1925. 1,562,104

A.` J. LOEPSINGER DRY PIPE S'PRINKLER SYSTEM Filed Jung 22, 1923 lNvENToR l l er Jfopiugr BY am, clula/ek r/(Lm 1 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED y STATES g 1,562,104.; gPATENI- OFFICE.v 1

ALBERT'J. LOEPSINGER, OF PROVIDENCE, kRHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS' To GENERAL ETREv EXTINGUISHER COMPANY, OE PROVIDENCE,

i .RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION `OE DELAWARE. I

DRY-PIPEl SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. LOEPSINGER,

a citizen o-'the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and i State of VRhode Island, have invented certain new and useful yImprovements in Dry- Pipe SprinklerSystems, of whichthe following isa specification.y l

`This invention relates to dry pipe systems `for plural liquids Such as may be used in. automatic sprinkler fire extinguishing apparatus, discharging liquids operating by chemical reaction; y, Such A systems employ two liquids, one of which is Ordinarily an acid and the other an alkali, which reacttogether immediately on mixing. For .this reason and because the acid is corrosive it is especiallydesirable to employ the dryy pipe f principle', in `which the pipes remain normally lilled with air until a sprinkler opens from the heat of a fire, whereupon the reduction of air pressure automaticallytrips a valve fOr-each,y liquid, `to admit it to its systemA ot' piping leading to the sprinklers. In

such cases it is highly desirab'lethat both liquids, travelling through their respective systems, should arrive at Athe open head at.

.the same instant, astherequired eil'ehct 'produced only by mixing, and as either lalone may be seriously"damaging to goods on which it" may fall'. VIt has, "however, "heretofore been found practically impossible to buildtwo systems thus in'parallel so that the "valves will operate simultaneously. The present invention has for its object to provide means for 'the simultaneous operation 'of thefseparate valves controlling the liquids of such a system. y This object is accomplished bypioviding an' operative connection between the two such'that either n'iay trip the other, or. `more Strictly, suchfthat the tripping of either occasions the simultaneous tripping n f 'of the other. This lis attained by provid- 45 -ing aV physical connection between operating kparts of the two valves. The iiivention is here illustrated 'as it may be Vapplied to'a i-vell-,known' type ot' dry pipe valve lin which the liquid retaining clapper Yis heldfseated against the hydrostatic'presl sureof liquid by a system oflinkage which is balanced in unstable equilibrium so that .it yields upon slight dislodgment, and'ythere is a weight, held suspended. by air pressure in the distribution system, ready. when re-i leased by fall of the air pressure to descend andknockthe linkage system out of its said equilibrium, thus allowing the hydrostatic,

pressure to open the valve. The area of the yielding` member which is exposed to the air pressure in the distribution system is so designed, ,with relation to the constant force applied to it by the weight, lthat the two are edv balanced when the-air pressure has fallen,

as it does upon the opening of a sprinkler anywhere inthe system, toa certain prede-l termined value, which may, for example, be i V one-sixth bt v.the normal khydrostatic ,pres- Sure of liquid. With further falling the air pressure becomes too weak to hold the weight which thereupon descends, allowing the liquid valve to open.. Where two such valves are side by Sideyeachl opening into its owndistributionsystem, the fall of air maybe a little slower in one system than in the other, `or there may be -slightly more vfriction inthe linkageof one System than in the other, or, :for other causes, the-two, it

entirely independent, mayf not have ,their valves tripped precisely simultaneously, even though the air release 4from theml begins simu taneously on the opening of a double ysprinkler head. It is a` t'eatureof the :in- .vention to make this. action 'of ,the valves simultaneous, notwithstanding l such differences; and this is accomplished by providing a mechanical connectionl betweenythe parts which move when the valveis tripped.

of both valves, so that neither weightY canA y Specifically, l the connection `,herein illusdescend in order to trip'its valvewithout y alsotripping the other valve. In the form illustrated this end is attained byv arranging the two valves` in-physical proximity toeach other and providing a cross link, in -addi-` `tion totlie hook link by kwhichthe weight has hitherto been.' suspended in, its own f valve, whichcrosslink reaches acrossto the top ofthe hook link. by which the weight of the other valve is suspended, insucli mannerv that the weight, suspended-jin either valve,I cannot descend without releasing 'the weight in the lother valve; n; The arrangement is preferably such that the first weight, until it starts to fall, is restrained only rby its own hook link, and so that when it starts to fallv its initial course does not materially increase its distance from the point of latch engagement, and this it starts to fall freely and'v gains some momentum; and so that thereafter the course in which it isconstrained to move leads it away, gradually, from the point of latch engagement, whereby it pulls thereon with powerful advantage and so unlatches the hooklink of ther.

second weight with unfailing certainty,

' whether or notV the air in its system has approached the necessary weakness to release its own'weight. Usually the air pressurein the second system will have fallen greatly, and will be almost to the stage 7 where tripping occurs, but in any event this kinetic Y force will' 'immediately over-balance it if the type of latch be such `as to require that, and vthe tripping of both valves will then occur with the simultaneity which results from the mechanicall inter-connection of tripping members such thaty both move together 'and neither can move separately.

Itwill be understood that mechanical connections maybe made in other respects between the parts which move when the tripping-occurs, with similar results and within the scope ofthe invention. lt will moreover, be understood that connections may be made in otherthan mechanical respects be- "f 'tween the twodry pipe and distribution `with. 'Itis intended that the-present patent shalll cover, by lsuitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the general idea of `a mechanical connection between parts of the tripping" mechanism and especially in `the rvspecific'applications thereof herein disclOsedL'v In vthe accompanying drawing:

. i The single gure illustrates, in elevation,

' the application'of the invention to the pipes and dry pipe valves of a sprinkler system, `the sprinklers not being shown, but it being understood-that the distribution systems runk in* parallelism and that each sprinkler is lfedfrom' both, and opens both when it is released automatically in response to rise of temperature. villustrated because they are well understood But such details are not in theart. 1 f

` Referring to the drawing, the figure shows the beginning of-two liquid distribution systems, 13, 23, arranged in parallelism, such as may be used, the one-forcarrying an acid and the other for carrying an alkali liquid `to sprinklers where the alkali and the acid are jetted together or otherwise mixed so as to produce a fire. extinguishing liquid, gas or foam formation in the manner well known. The dry pipe valves 14 and 24 illustrated are also of a type which are well known and therefore do not need to be described in detail. In each case the liquidretaining clapper 24 is held closed by a system of linkage including a weighted lever 40 fulcrumed at 25 and so arranged that when set to be tripped its weight is at 42 held bya hook link 43 on the power end of an air trip lever 44, whose work end tends to open an air clapper valve 46 which is normally held on its seat by the air pressure in the system. Wheneverv this air pressure fallsto a predetermined amount, as after the opening of a sprinkler, the weight and lever can lift this air clapper; and then the incidental tipping of the trip lever lets the hook 43 slipoff from the lever, thus allowing the weight to fall. This weight, turning about 25, swings the base end of the strut 53'that has been on dead center and which has, through a plunger 50 and toggle 55, been. holding the liquid valve closed. The toggle then yields and rpermits the liquid to rush into the distribution system.

The two -connected dry pipe valves are shown arranged Vwith their weighted levers 40 in a common chamber 47, which intervenes between intermediatechambers 49 of each valve, and connects them through openings 43 in which the-toggle plungers l5() operate. The usual weighted levers V40 are arranged extending horizontally toward each other in substantially the same vertical plane, so that as they swing downward they swing away from each other. They may be so connected together, that both must swing simultaneously, but in' anyevent the swinging of one pulls a latch release ofthe other. The connection comprises a pair of separate cross links 52 and 54, linking each weight to the supporting hook link 43 of the other weight; so that descent of either weight in direction to open its valve pulls the hookof the other weight oill from its supportl 44 thus unlatching and permitting corresponding descent of the other weight. Accordingly if the air pressureuon one of the air clapper valves 46 becomes reduced sufficiently to let its weight 40 lift that clapper, the descent of its weighted lever 40, simultaneously disengages the other weighted lever 40 from its airy trip lever 44; and the falling of both together effects simultaneous opening Vof the liquid retaining valves.

,Since the pivot 56 between the weighted lever 40 and the link 52, or 54, is substantially on a line between the fulcrum 25 and the joint of this link to the hook link 43, the

initial movement of this pivot 56 is per nection with the hook link 43. Hence that connection' offers no hindrance of the free falling of the weight 40. The latter at once acquires momentum,land -as the pivot 56 traverses it's arc about the point 25 as a center,' itacts with crank like effect upon'the connecting link v52, exerting a gradual and powerful pull on it. In this the static force due to gravity is'supplemented inpulling the linky 52, by'whatever measure of momentum vthe weight has acquired during itsinitial fall, before the pull on the link 52 becomes appreciable', thus insuring .the unlatching of thehooklink 43, even if the design makes it necessary to drag it up and out of a depression on the air lever 44.

lIn addition to this mechanical connection between the two Valves, the connections 48 toj the common chamber 47 enable the pressure in 'th'e intermediate chambers of the valves to `be equalized. When the linkage is setto holdthe liquid clappers closed, the openings 48 in the valve casings proper through which the toggle plungers pro-- ject from chambers 49 into 47 are large enough to allow free passage of fluid, and the contents are kept atfatmospheric pressure by the usual ball drip valve (not shown) whichcloses'when a rush of fluidthrough it begins. f The chamber 'thus affords fluid connection such that kif either liquid-valve were tripped enoughto leak, and Athe other still held, lthe inflow of liquid would quickly ilvlthe chamber and apply high pressure to theunderside of the hesitat'ing air valve 46, 'thus linsuring its immediate opening and -the 'simultaneous full release of both liquid 'valves'24. vIt yis'de'sirable forthe perfect simultaneousn'ess of 'action that" there be a communicating passage vas indicated at 32, between the risers 13 and 23, orel'sewhere between the air portion of the two systems, so, as to' provide equalityof air pressure on thel air clappers 46 of' the two dry pipe valves. Upon the opening of the drypipe valves and the rush of liquid through the risers 13 and l23 a. small quantity of'liquid from each flows into the connection 32'.' The gas'formed at the place of meetingprevents further mingling ofthe `liquids there; and the maintenancewof this gas separation: may Vbe aided by 'providing a medial vcham-ber 32 ,in which the gas is entrapped.:` .lVith such a communicating passage, the connection to theair clapper chambers can Vbe made Vfrom either riser and is hereV illus- `trated as a pipev 39 from vriser* 13 having 'branches 39 leading -to the chambers above kthe air clappers 46. The inventioncan valso be used with an v.chamber and into accelerator 34 whose entrance l pipe .'35Lis shown connected through brancheswith each branch 39 of pipe 39 at a point between an air'clapper chamber anda restrics tion 39" in the branch. `These restrictions are large enough to transmit adrop in pressurel in the ydistribution systems tothe accelerator'to cause actuation ofl the latter, and small enough todelay in-flow thereafterl through the pipe 39, while 1 4the effective pressure in the chambers above the air'clappers is being vreduced, -by quick transferv of their air through the branch ylines 35,-the

accelerator 34 andthe pipe 36 intoeither' of the intermediate chambers 49, from which, byfway of the commonchamberf 47 and passages 48 by the plungers 50, the fluid quickly reaches, and balances .the pressure on the air clappers 46 so that the weights can fall: Instead of providing restrictlons 39, the pipe 39 itself could be very.1 small, much' smaller'than the pipe 35 and itsconnections with the air clapper chambers, so that upon operation of the accelerator the outlrush of lair from the chambers through l the accelerator `would lexceed the. inflow through the smaller pipe 39. If preferred, the'accelerator may discharge. into atmosphere, since ythe resulting Vbleeding Vof the air chambers would promptly reducetheir effective"pressure below the forces-exerted upon the air clappers by the weighted levers. Upon the tripping ofthe latter each passage around the fplunger 50` ris` closed, 4for reach plunger in moving draws with: av plug collar 5.0 which seals the open-ings 48vin, lthe wall of its chamber 49 and thereby prevents leakage of either liquid into the connecting liquid. Y Accelerator sidered to'ber of the type which is shown Vin *Contact v with the l other a 34 herein shown may beiy I my Letters Patent of the United States No.

'1,502,042 of lJuly 22, 1924; IThe construcytion` of' this is such that allfslow changesfof 'pressure in the system 13 are disseminated*v without producing lany action; but al rapid Vfall of pressure produces' a'reactioninthe accelerator-which connects` passage 35 with 3 6 for discharge. If the apparatus is so arranged that this discharge goesinto the atmosphere, it merely relieves the pressure on the .top of'a-uXiliary clappers46. If it goes into vthe chamber 49, as illustrated, it hastens valve action somewhat by applying pressure to the yunder side of clappers 46,

In neither event does the arrangement and type of f acceleratorv illustrated. appreciably affect pressure in the air distribution system 13, yet both dry pipe valves become tripped while the pressure in 13 and 23 remains :stillv relatively high. l

I claim as my invention: 1. Ina dry pipe system for plural liquids, the combination with a l.dry pipe valve'for each: liquid, having a Weighted lever arranged-to maintain said; valve closed while suspended and adapted to. open` said valve upon being tripped, of means connecting said levers whereby the tripping of one ef-,

fectssiinultaneous tripping of the other.

2. Ina dry pipe system` for plural liquids, the combination .with a dry pipe valve for' each liquid havingl av weighted lever arranged to maintain said valve closed while suspended and adapted tol open said valve upon being tripped, of fa link connect-ing one lever with the other whereby upon tripping of either lever the other is simultaneously tripped. 1

1 3. In a drypipe system for plural liquids the combination with a distributing system tor each liquid, havinga dry pipe valve adapted to be held closed by pressure of its distributing system acting upon an auxiliary clapper.andthrou'gh linkage upon the liquid clapperzoi' said valve, of means providing fluid connection between the undersides rof said auxiliary clappers of both systems whereby the fluid pressure tending to openI each auxiliary clapper is maintained the same. Y A.

4t. In a dry pipe system for plural liquids comprisingv a distributing system for each liquidand a dry pipe valve therefor adapted to beheld closed by pressure of the distributing system, acting upon an auxiliary `clapper and: through linkage upon the liquid clapper of said valve, the combination with means providing a fluid connection between the vunder sidesfof said auxiliary clappers, of' an? accelerator connected to one ofthe distributing systems for its Lown actuation vandv havingA a discharge connected to said means for actuation of said auxiliaryA clappers.' v Y' v .Y z Y .y

5.-In adr-y pipe system for plural liquids, the --combination with a dry pipe valve for veach liquid, having a `weighted lever arranged to maintain saidvalve closed while .supported and adapted to open said valve lupon being tripped, oi means Connecting i said `levers whereby the tripping oi one releases connection of the other-,to its support.

' v6. In a dry pipe system for plural-liquids, the combination with a dry pipe -valve for each liquid,4 having a weighted' lever arranged to maintain said valve closed while supported -andadapted to open said valve upon being tripped,l oi' means connecting said levers whereby l the tripping of one lever moves a part on the other lever transversely to its direction of descent, until clear -of its support, thereby effecting tripping of said other lever.` Y l 7. In a dry pipe system for plural liquids, the vcombination with 'a drypipevalve Jfor kvrifeach liquid, having' aV weighted lever arranged to maintain saidvalve closed' while supported and adaptedto open said valve upon being tripped', of' a link connecting said. levers arranged so that upon one 'lever' being tripped its movementV beginsv in. a direct-ion substantially perpendicular tothe line of connection through said link and is thereafter constrained away from Saidfinitial direction to, apply theforce'of` momeniium through: the link to trip said other ever.

the combination `with a dry pipev valve for each liquid, having a weighted lever arranged to maintain said valve closed while supported vand. adapted to open. saidivalve upon being tripped, of a link connecting y 8. In a dry pipe system for plural liquids,

said levers and' arranged with respect to valves closed while suspended andl adapted to open said valves upon being tripped, and means connecting` said linkages whereby the tripping of one effects simultaneous tripping of the other. y i

y 10, In a drypipe system for plural liquids, having va separate distributing sys,- tem and dry pipe valve for each liquid, the combination oftwo control systems of linkage, one for each valve arranged ytomaintainsaidvalves closed while suspended and adapted to open rsaid valves'. upon being tripped; Veach said linkage system comprising a weighted lever, a hook latch link suspending it from a support and across link connecting the weighted lever oi one system tov the latch` of the othersystem, the whole being arranged for the swing of either weighted lever to pullthe latch of the other from its support.

l1. In a drypipe systeinffor plural liquids the combination with a distributing system for each liquid, having a dry pipe valve adapted to be held-closed by pressure of its distributing system acting upon an auxiliary clapper and through` linkage upon the liquid clapper of said valve, of means providing fluid connection between the upper sides of said auxiliary clappers of yboth 'systems wherebyy theiiuid pressure opposing opening of' each auxiliary clapper ismaintained the same. i.

12. In a dry pipev system for plural liquids, 4having a separate distributing system and dry pipe valve for each liquid, the combination of two controlsystems of linkage, one for each valve, arrangedfto maintain said valves closed while set andadapted to open said valves upon. being tripped;

lum

each said linkage system comprising a weighted lever, a hook latch link suspending it from a support and a cross link connecting the weighted lever of one system to the latch of the other system; the said cross link being. arranged so that the fall of its weighted lever begins in a direction substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said link, and thereafter alters in direction approaching parallelism with said axis, whereby the pull exerted on said link is gradually applied.

13. In a dry pipe system for plural liquids comprising a distributing system for each liquid and a dry pipe valve therefor adapted to be held closed by pressure of the distributing system, acting upon an auxiliary clapper and through linkage upon the liquid olapper of said valve, the combination with means providing a fluid connection between one of said distribution systems and the upper sidesl of said auxiliary clappers, of an accelerator connected with said connection whereby upon sudden drop vof pressure in said distribution system, the

pressure on said auxiliary clappers is discharged through the accelerator; the said connection being one which restricts in-flow from the distribution system. v

14. In a dry pipe system for plural liquids comprising a distributing system for each liquid and a dry pipe valve therefor tion whereby upon sudden drop of pres? sure in said distribution system, the pressure on said auxiliary clappers is discharged through the accelerator; said connection having between the distribution system and t-he connection with said accelerator a small opening for restricting in-low from the distribution system tothe auxiliary clappers.

15. In a dry pipe system `for plural liquids, having a separate distributing system and dry pipe valve for each liquid, the combination of two control systems of linkage, one for each valve, adapted to maintain said Valves closed while suspended and to open said valves upon being tripped, said linkage being arranged face to face, operat ing in opposed directions, and being interconnected, so that upon the tripping of one vlinkage the other linkage is simultaneously tripped.

Signed at Boston, Massachusetts,this 18th day of May, 1923.

ALBERT J. LOEPSINGER. 

